Jayapura, Jubi – About 7,000 Papuan students will receive cash aid of Rp 1 million a year from the Papua government through the department of Social Services and Housing.

“This aid aims to support Papuan students’ education, ” head of Social Service and Housing of Papua Province Rebekah Haluk said in Jayapura on Thursday (6/08/2015).

He explained that 4,000 of them are in Jayapura city and its surroundings. While the 3,000 others are scattered in the whole territory of Papua.“We categorize children who are neglected by their parents as street children,” she said.

She added children are the future assets and investments, so their growth should get our attention.“We hope they can use the money for their education,” he said.

Previously, as a form of concern for street children, chairman deputy of Papua Legislative Council, Yanni made a visit to shelter house at Jalan Pasir Sentani, Jayapura district on Saturday (07/03/2015).

She said as many as 30 children are accommodated in foster house and taken care under Institutions Women Service Center in Papua (LP4I). (Alexander Loen/Tina)

2) Banks Must Stand for Papuans

Jayapura, Jubi – Hironimus Hilapok said the development of small and medium business enterprise managed by indigenous Papuans has been stagnant, while those belonging to non-Papuan entrepreneurs are growing.

According to Hilapok who’s the General Trustee of PT. Adi Karya Tbk, this current situation was applied because of non-Papuan entrepreneurs –Chinese, Javanese and Makassar descendants—have recognize the trading system since Dutch colonialism for three hundred years ago.

Meanwhile, Papuans were not familiar with modern business in their national system. Trading is new for them. Papuans were introduced with trading systems at the early of 1970es, and it is getting better in the early of millennium era.

Hilapok said this condition was very influenced to native entrepreneurs but it’s not a problem. This problem could be solved if both local and central governments and banks reform the capital provision system. The government and banks should provide a greater support to Papuans.“Banks couldn’t provide the investment for Papuans along with non-Papuans. For those who are used to in business, having the additional capital made them grow faster, while those who are not familiar in business are not able to grow,” he said on Thursday (6/8/2015).

He further said this problem has been occurred for a long time but never been a solution. Any relevant studies to improve the trading system among Papuan entrepreneurs have never been conducted; or if the study was existed, the government never used it to develop the economic of indigenous Papuans.

The government and banks should not sustain this system. The alterations must be done for Papuans could become a master on their land through economic sustainability. Both government and banking should give more supports to indigenous Papuans.“The government or banking shouldn’t be still. They must push Papuans to have courage. The encourage towards the weak could put them up to equal position,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Student Forum Coordinator of Papua and West Papua Development Care, Demas Wandik said Papuans could be success but there’s impression that Jakata do not give supports. Jakarta always restricts Papuans to become great entrepreneurs. “We can see there is no huge project gave to Papua entrepreneur. Papuans do not have an opportunity due to a stigma about their capability,” he said. (Mawel Benny/rom)

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3) Human Rights violations in Papua to be discussed by the Pacific Islands Forum

Statement by the LP3BH-Manokwari (Institute of Research, Analyzingand Development of Legal Aid)

The LP3BH is delighted to know that the question of human rights violations in the Land of Papua perpetrated by the Indonesian securityforces (TNI/Police) is to discussed at the forthcoming meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) to be held in Port Moresby in September,2015. As many people know, these violations have been going on for the past fifty years. As we commemorate the Human Rights Month in the Land

of Papua which began on 14 July, the LP3BH as a Non-Governmental Organisationthat focuses on legal rights and the protection of human rights, intends express its support by submitting a number of reports to theSecretariat of the PIF about the situation in the Land of Papua. it also intends to submit a number of recommendations suggesting the bestway to resolve the serious human rights that have been occurring inthe Land of Papua.

These human rights violations have been going on for the past fifty years, that is to to say since 1963, reached the highest point in1969 when the so-called Act of Free Choice took place, when the territory of West Papua under the administration of the Indonesiansecurity forces. The LP3BH-Manokwari has been working for many years incollaboration with several international human rights NGOs such as TAPOL in London and several organisations in Australia.

With regard to the issue of decolonisation for the Land of Papua which will be the most important issue to be raised at that PacificIslands Forum, I herewith state as the Executive Director of the LP3BH that this an a crucially important issue, bearing in mind theuniversal principles of democracy and human rights.

These human rights violations which have been going for the past fifty years have been perpetrated by members of Indonesian Army andPolice Force as well as by those who have come to the territory as investors in forestry and mining and have violated the rights of thecivilian population in the Land of Papua.

This is a global issue which desperately needs concrete and positive action by the nations that are represented in the PIF as wellas the friendly states which are members of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).

President Joko Widodo who is the head of state of Indonesia should respond by acknowledging the aspirations of the indigenous Papuanpeople to hold a dialogue between Papua and Indonesia to discuss the social and political conflicts in the Land of Papua as the best way torestore peace which is what the people of these nations so deeply want.

The most significant violations that should be considered are: the Bloody Biak Incident on 6th July 1998, the Manokwari Bloody Incidentin September 1998, Wasior in June 2001, Wamena, Enarotali-Paniai in December 2014. and Yahukimo, Wamena as well as the Tolikara Incidentthat occurred on 17th July this year. There were also a number of incidents that occurred in July and August 1969 and throughout 1977and 1978 in the Central Highlands. The Government of Indonesia has shown that it has no intention of dealing with any of these violations

for which the Republic of Indonesia.should be held responsible.This means that while the perpetrators enjoy impunity the victims sufferings are ignored.This also means that all the interest which has been shown by the member-states of the Pif and the MSG is more than ever necessarytoday.

This also means that the resolution of all the violations that have been mentioned above should be handled by the Governor of Papuaand the Governor of West Papua, both of whom have now been acknowledged as Associate Members of the PIF and the MSG, along withthe United Liberation Movement of West Papua which has now been granted the status of Observer Members

-------Yan Christian Warinussy, Executive Director of the LP3BH.

Translated by Carmel Budiardjo, Recipient of the Right Livelihood Award, 1995